Gambling age in Ontario
OLG says you must be 19 or older to visit casinos and slot facilities in Ontario.1 The AGCO's Registrar's Standards for Gaming bar anyone under 19 from a casino, except in the course of employment.2
Minimum age by activity
| Lottery | The AGCO's lottery-sector standards forbid anyone authorized to sell lottery tickets, or acting on their behalf, from selling a ticket to someone under 18.3 |
|---|---|
| Bingo and charitable gaming | OLG says charitable gaming in Ontario is open to people 18 or older.1 |
| Sports betting | OLG says in-store sports betting in Ontario is for people 18 or older.1 OLG says you must be 19 or older for online casino gaming and online sports betting in Ontario.1 |
| Online gambling | iGaming Ontario's directory of regulated sites says players must be 19+ and physically located in Ontario.4 The AGCO's Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming make anyone under 19 ineligible to play, except an 18-year-old using the site only to buy a lottery ticket.5 |
Who runs gambling in Ontario
OLG is a Crown agency established under the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Act, 1999.6 Ontario's land-based casinos are conducted and managed by OLG and regulated by the AGCO; many have private operators registered with the AGCO.7
Who regulates it
The AGCO administers Ontario's Gaming Control Act, 1992 (GCA).7
Gambling online in Ontario
The AGCO regulates Ontario's igaming market; iGaming Ontario conducts and manages igaming provided through private operators, and OLG conducts and manages the internet gaming on OLG.ca.7
Self-exclusion
My PlayBreak is OLG's voluntary self-exclusion tool; the AGCO points players to it to take a break or self-exclude from casinos, charitable gaming centres and OLG.ca.8 BetGuard is iGaming Ontario's centralized self-exclusion program covering all regulated online gambling websites in Ontario.8
Worth knowing
Canada's Criminal Code defines which gaming activities are legal, and the provinces are responsible for operating, licensing and regulating legal gaming.7
Tax on winnings
CRA Income Tax Folio S3-F9-C1 (effective July 3, 2020): a prize from a lottery scheme is generally not taxable as income or capital gain, unless the circumstances make it employment, business or property income or an achievement prize. Only the winnings; interest or investment income earned on them is a separate matter.9
Where to play in Ontario
We list 76 places in Ontario: 36 charitable gaming centres, 23 casinos, 7 racetracks with slots, 6 bingo halls, 4 gaming venues. See all casinos in Ontario.
Chatham · Fort Erie · Kingston · London · Mississauga · Niagara Falls · Ottawa · Peterborough · Pickering · Sarnia · Scarborough · Thunder Bay · Toronto · Windsor
Other provinces: gambling age across Canada.